Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart has taken himself out of consideration for the Southern Miss job, sources have told ESPN.com.

That should come as a relief to coach Nick Saban, who has already lost offensive coordinator Jim McElwain to Colorado State.

Smart, who coached the most dominant defense in the nation this year, was a candidate to replace Larry Fedora, who moved on to North Carolina.

Smart interviewed with Southern Miss officials in Atlanta on Thursday, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com. Others reportedly being considered for the job include South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, Murray State head coach Chris Hatcher, Southern Miss offensive coordinator Blake Anderson and Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Smart is paid $850,000 a year and has two years remaining on his contract. He was also said to be a candidate for the Texas A&M job filled by Kevin Sumlin and the Ole Miss job filled by Hugh Freeze.

Sources told ESPN.com’s Mark Schlabach, however, that Smart never had contact with those programs.